Nursing Education

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) nurses by the mere fact that they are educated, literate, knowledgeable and trained nurses is in the nursing field is one of the reasons why they are linked to patient safety outcomes. However, BSN nurses have a better link towards patient safety outcome than AND nurses. In a study that was carried out in 2003, showed that a 10% increase in the proportion of BSN nurses led to a 5% decrease in the probability of surgical patients dying within 30 days of admission and also the probability of the rate of failure to rescue (Linda, 2003). This can be attributed to the more courses, time and experience that BSN nurses have to go through compared to ADN nurses. 

Another contributing factor to patient safety outcome link to ADN and BSN nurses is that their education which contributes to their job safety, personal confidence, role development, and consequently personal satisfaction. This enables them to face and attend to patients with grave and/or complex matters adequately and find ways and means through which they can assure both the patient and his/her relatives that they are in safe hands with a higher chance of a better outcome (Trossman, 2008). Education and knowledge greatly contribute to the nurses ‘confidence which in turn enables them to effectively use and follow medical procedures efficiently and effectively enabling them to provide patient care that is exceptional (Trossman, 2008). Moreover, BSN and ADN nurses are for instance more able through their education and experience, able to adequately talk to patients and their relatives in a way that is assuring of the patients’ safety. 

Based on real-life experiences, I agree with this research. For example, at Rochester General Hospital (New York), quality–targeted data collected in 2002 and 2007, showed a decrease in the rate of patient falls per 1,000 patients by 1.65%, a medication error rate per 10, 000 doses administered by 0.84% and a decline in hospital by 1 day. Therefore, educated nurses are able to ensure not only patient safety but also goodwill for hospitals in which they work.

References

Aiken, L. 2003. The Aiken Study: hospital nurse staffing and patient mortality, nurse burnout, and job dissatisfaction. Retrieved from  http://dpeaflcio.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/2003-1-The-Aiken-Study.pdf.

Trossman, S. 2008. BSN in Ten. Retrieved from http://www.americannursetoday.com/article.aspx?id=5272.